End-gate fastener.



S. 0. KASTNER.

END GATE FASTENER.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 13. 1915.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

SAMUEL o. KASTNER, 0F 'GARIRISO'N, IOWA.

END-GATE FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 17, 1916,

Application filed April 13, 1915. Serial No. 21,073.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL O. KASTNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garrison, in the county of Benton and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in End-Gate Fasteners, of which the following is a speclfication.

My invention relates to end gate fasteners and more particularly to a device for re movably holding an end gate in locked position.

The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a pair of relat1vely movable rods slidably associated with the end gate and adapted for detachable association with the sides of the wagon box as well as a common means for moving and locking the rods and consequently causlng the side pieces of the wagon box to be clamped against the ends of the end gate.

Another object of my invention resldes in the provision of a novel resilient means associated with the rods and cooperating with the operating means for facilitating the maintenance of the latter in a locked position.

A still further object of my invention resides in the provision of a novel adjusting means associated with the rods for allowing the device to be associated with wagon bodies of various widths.

A still further object of my invention resides in the provision of a novel casing rigidly associated with each of the side pieces of a, wagon box for removably receiving the rods, thus permitting of the re- -moval of the end gate from the wagon box when the operating means is actuated.

( A still further object of my invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described that is simple in construction, eflicient in operation and one that can be manufactured and placed on the market at a minimum cost.

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features and scope of my invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims forming part of this specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a rear end elevational view of a wagon box having the end gate mounted therein and the fastening device in a position preparatory to being locked, the dotted lines showing the position assumed by the operating lever when 1n a locked position for preventing the accidental displacement of the end gate from the wagon box; Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the operating lever illustrating to advantage the construction of the improved swivel bolts; Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view -of one of the castings for receiving the heads of the rods; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the threaded end of one of the rods, showing my improved adjusting means associated therewith.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, I provide a wagon box including essentially a bolster 1 having a bottom 2 supported thereon and side pieces 3 arranged perpendicular thereto and provided with oppositely disposed vertically arranged grooves 4 for receiving an end gate 5.

For the purpose of removably maintaining the end gate in a locked position withinthe grooves 4, I have slidably mounted in substantially horizontal alinement relatively movable rods 6 and 7 by means of any suitable medium, preferably ears 8 carried by a the cross pieces of the end gate 5. The outer ends of the rods are provided with enlarged rounded heads 9, the inner surfaces of which are flattened for a purpose to be hereinafter referred to.

In order that the heads may be removably associated with the side pieces 3 for clamping the latter against theends of the end gate, I have provided my improved end castings, each including essentially substantial disk-like plates 10 having diametrically positioned ears 11 extending in opposite directions therefrom and further provided with a cylindrical casing 12 centrally disposed on one surface thereof and preferably integral therewith. The front face of. the

casing is provided with a cylindrical opening 13 which has communicating therewith a longitudinal slot 14 for a purpose to be hereinafter referred to. e In applying the castings in position they are inserted in oppositely positioned openings 15 in the side pieces 3 in such a manner that the front surfaces of the casings are arranged in substantial alinement with the inner surfaces of the side pieces 3 in order that the rounded heads 9 may be inserted within the openings 13 and consequently fall to the bottom of the easings, the slots 14 being arranged about the sides of the rods 6 and 7. From this arrangement it can be seen that the flat inner surfaces of the heads 9 will bear against the inner surface of the casings about the slots. Bolt and nut arrangements 16 are associated with the openings in the ears 11 and the side pieces for removably maintaining the castings in position.

For the purpose of causing the rods to move toward each other, after the heads 9 thereof have been arranged within the castings, I have provided my improved common means for operating and locking the rods in position. This means constitutes preferably a substantially bell crank lever 17 the inner end of which is forked and straddled about the. inner ends of the rods (3 and 7. The preferable manner in which this lever is formed, is by bending the inner end thereof from a point adjacent the pointof distortion outwardly so that the terminal 18 thereof is arranged in a plane in substantial parallel relation with the plane of the opposite end. A similarly formed piece 19 is now bolted or otherwise secured as at 20 to the main portion of the lever as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 2. -The forked end of the lever is provided with oppositely disposed openings thereon through which are rotatably mounted in spaced relation swivel bolts 20, each consisting essentially of shanks which have the intermediate portions thereof enlarged to provide substantial rings 21. Cotter pins or like fastening elements 22 are used for preventing the accidental displacement of the swivel bolts. Thescrew threaded ends of the rods 6 and 7 are slidably arranged through the rings 20.

In order to assist the eflicient operation of the lever 17, I have disposed washers 23 about each of the threaded ends of the rods as well as suitable elastic elements, preferably coil springs 24, the latter being held in various adjusted positions thereon by means of the adjusting elements 25. Each of these 1 adjusting elements 25 is provided with a plurality of diametrically positioned and longitudinally arranged grooves 26 which cooperate with a pin 27 which extends through one of the uniformly spaced openings 28 in the threaded end of the rods for securely locking the parts in position. This means makes the device applicable to wagon beds of various widths. WVhen the parts are thus assembled the lever 17 is drawn down wardly so that the hooked end 29 can be enrangem'ent of the springs, it will be readily ment of the parts can be made. within the scope of the appended claims and without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention. I However, I desire that great stress be laid upon the relatively movable rod and the common means for moving, operating and locking the rods in position.

Attention is also directed to the improved means associated with the rods for facilit'ating the adjustment of the device whereby it can be readily associated with wagon beds of various widths as well as the resilient means forming a part of this arrangement for cooperating with the locking means or hook 29 for aiding in the maintenance of the latter.

What is claimed is:

1. An end gate fastener including a pair of relatively movable rods arranged in substantial alinement with each other, a bell crank lever having one end forked and arranged about the rods, a pair of swivel bolts having a ring portion therein and pivotally mounted in the forked end and said rods arranged to allow the handle to swingvercrank lever pivoted to said rods and. ar-

ranged to swing vertically thereabout so as to move the rods toward each other, a hook on the free end of the lever for engagement with one of the rods, adjustable holding means on the inner ends of the rods, and resilie'nt means on the rods between the adjustable holding means and the lever for facilitating engagement of the hook for pre venting accidental displacement thereof.

3. An end gate fastener including a pair of slidably mounted rods, a bell crank lever having one end forked, a pair of swivel bolts pivotally mounted between the forked end 'of the lever, said bolts being provided with ring portions to permit of sliding engage ment of the lever with the rods to consequently permit the lever being swung vertically about the rods so, as to move the rods toward each other, a hook on the free end of the lever for engagement with one of the rods, adjusting nuts threaded on the threaded ends of the rods for adjustably holding the ring portions on the rods, washers disposed about the rods and positioned between the lever and the nuts, a coil spring arranged about the rods between the washers and the nuts for facilitating the engagement 10 of the hook and for preventing accidental displacement thereof.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL O. KASTNER.

Vitnesses:

ERVIN MoELLER, W. A. MOELLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

